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Siddhārtha Gautama was an Indian prince whose father showered his beloved son with all imaginable pleasures and luxuries. But there came a time when the young prince encountered the realities of suffering, aging, and death. He left the palace and became an ascetic… How did Siddhārtha reach enlightenment? How did he become the Buddha (“the awakened one”)? Learn more about Buddha’s discovery of the nature and origin of suffering (dukha) and about the path leading to cessation of suffering. For a beginner, this PBS documentary on the life and teaching of the Buddha would be a good start.

About Reflections

Here I introduce some of the key texts and ideas of the course, discuss individual thinkers and intellectual movements and recommend readings and multimedia sources. While teaching the course I also comment on classroom discussions and invite my students to share their thoughts.